Fruit

"Fruit?"

Li Xiangping looked up, gazing doubtfully at Li Qiuyang, who sat cross-legged before him.

"Yes..."

Li Qiuyang looked somewhat uneasy, his hands tightly clutching the corners of his clothes. After cultivating for only a few nights, he had condensed a wisp of Spiritual Qi Fetal Breathing. Feeling that his speed did not match what was written in the scroll, he feared he had gone astray in his cultivation and hurriedly brought the method to Li Xiangping for guidance.

Upon hearing of Li Qiuyang's cultivation speed, Li Xiangping was so startled that he took the Azure Origin Nurturing Wheel Method and read it over and over, pondering it carefully several times.

Only after the time it took to drink a cup of tea did Li Xiangping finally look up and ask whether he had eaten anything strange.

After thinking carefully, Li Qiuyang suddenly recalled something important and hurriedly answered, "A few years ago, several companions insisted on competing to see who was braver. We agreed to climb the Back Mountain, but in the end, I was the only one who went up. I didn't see my companions along the way and somehow got lost."

"As I walked, I saw an Emerald Green Sapling with six or seven bright-red fruits hanging from it. Those fruits gleamed crimson and looked delicious beyond measure."

"I truly couldn't resist. As if bewitched, I plucked one and ate it. Then I stumbled down the mountain in a daze. After I came back, I slept for three days, and Father was so anxious that he called many people to examine me."

After listening to Li Qiuyang finish, Li Xiangping was left speechless. He patted Li Qiuyang on the shoulder and said,

"Looking at it now, you will only need a little over a year to condense the Profound Scene Wheel."

Seeing the hopeful look on Li Qiuyang's face, Li Xiangping continued,

"But there is still something important."

Li Qiuyang froze at once and looked up at Li Xiangping.

"Take us up the mountain to search for that Spirit Root."

Li Tongya returned to Li Jing Small Courtyard. The moment he crossed the stone steps in front of the gate, he saw Liu Rouxuan sitting obediently in the courtyard, her chin propped in both hands as she blankly counted the fruit saplings in the Spirit Field for amusement.

When she saw Li Tongya enter through the gate, Liu Rouxuan sprang up from the stone bench. Lowering her brows as she looked at him, she timidly said,

"Immortal Master."

"No need to be so polite."

Li Tongya waved a hand, his gaze swiftly passing over Liu Rouxuan's lovely brows and eyes. Smiling, he said, "I am only six or seven years older than you. Just call me Tongya."

Seeing how approachable Li Tongya seemed, Liu Rouxuan relaxed considerably. After thinking for a moment, she said,

"Tongya Ge."

Li Tongya nodded, rose, and took a Wooden Slip from the wooden rack inside the house. He said to Liu Rouxuan,

"This is a cultivation formula for the Fetal Breath Realm, called the Azure Origin Nurturing Wheel Method. First memorize it here in the courtyard, and remember never to pass it on to anyone else."

"Yes!"

Liu Rouxuan answered delightedly. She respectfully accepted the Wooden Slip with both hands and carefully held it to her chest.

"Someone will deliver meals every day at the Chen Hour and Shen Hour. If you need anything, you may also tell that person and have it sent over."

Li Tongya picked up the teapot and spoke as he poured the tea. After filling two small cups, he continued, "I am not usually in this courtyard, but I will come at the Chen Hour and Shen Hour to bestow spiritual rain upon the Spirit Field. If you have any questions about cultivation, feel free to ask me."

Seeing Liu Rouxuan nod repeatedly, Li Tongya smiled and asked softly,

"Have your household goods and clothes been delivered?"

"They have already been delivered," Liu Rouxuan answered.

"Then settle down in the east room. Cultivate diligently in ordinary days, and do not go out until you have attained the Profound Scene. Have you studied before?"

Li Tongya suddenly asked.

"I studied a little when I was young, and I know some characters."

"Then I need not teach you everything one by one. Read through it first, and come ask me if you have any questions."

Liu Rouxuan answered yes again and again, then hugged the Wooden Slip and began reading it word by word, sentence by sentence.

Watching Liu Rouxuan lower her head to read the Azure Origin Nurturing Wheel Method, Li Tongya sipped his tea and idly thought,

This child has come to Li Jing Village. She knows neither the people nor the place, and she is confined to this courtyard. For the next few years, there is no need to worry about the cultivation method leaking out.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard a burst of hearty laughter. Someone pushed open the gate and entered the small courtyard.

"Third Brother, why have you come?"

Li Tongya asked in surprise, only to see Li Qiuyang following behind Li Xiangping with a nervous expression.

Li Xiangping explained the matter of the Spirit Root. Li Tongya was naturally astonished and became more wary of Li Qiuyang. After the two discussed it, they brought Li Yesheng and several strong village men up the Back Mountain.

It was already late autumn. The Back Mountain was bleak and desolate, fallen leaves fluttering everywhere. The wild beasts had grown plump and strong, lying dormant as they prepared for winter.

With the abundant and vibrant Reed Marshes, the people of Li Jing Village had never taken much interest in the Back Mountain. Fish and meat were supplied entirely by the Reed Marshes, so why risk their lives against wild beasts in those deep mountains? Thus, generation after generation of Li Jing Village residents had merely gathered firewood from the few forests at the foot of the Back Mountain. They used Chinese Fringe Flower or Serissa Japonica for cooking; these short trees grew quickly and were easy to gather. Only when building houses did they go up the mountain to fell timber.

As a result, the small paths on the Back Mountain were choked with thorns and covered with vines. Li Qiuyang could not clearly remember the route either, so several village men used woodcutting blades to clear the way, while Li Xiangping and Li Tongya followed behind.

"Second Brother, I have some doubts."

Li Xiangping held Li Qiuyang's hand and turned to Li Tongya.

"What is it?"

"You said Si Yuanbai marked out boundaries for our family, and beyond those boundaries lay other families' lands. Before the Li Clan rose to prominence, that family would only need to send one Fetal Breath cultivator here. Who would dare disobey?"

"Then why, after our Li Clan has cultivated this place for two hundred years, has not a single immortal cultivator been willing to come here? Could it be that they truly disdain mortals so greatly?"

Li Tongya stroked his chin and replied gravely,

"I have considered this as well. From what Si Yuanbai said, this place had lacked spiritual opportunities for several centuries. There were no resources for cultivation, so no immortal cultivator was willing to waste time here."

"Secondly, Great Li Mountain lies right beside us, its ridges stretching on without end. Who knows how many demons and ghosts dwell in those mountains? It is far less comfortable here than in the Prefecture City."

Li Xiangping nodded in agreement, his expression turning somewhat ugly as he quietly said to Li Tongya,

"Brother, there is an even worse possibility."

"Though the Green Pool Sect is said to be immensely powerful, it occupies only a quarter of Yue Kingdom. Could it truly have no powerful enemies nearby? What I fear is that our Li Clan lies right on the edge of the Green Pool Sect's territory!"

"When two villages fight over water, naturally no one wishes to plant crops along the border. That is the same principle. According to Xu Wenshan, Wu Kingdom lies to the south. Friction between Wu and Yue never ceases, and the immortal sects behind them likely do not get along much better!"

Li Tongya's heart tightened, and his expression darkened as well. He said,

"We overlooked that. Tomorrow, we shall send people to carefully investigate the area around Gu Li Road. The urgent matter is to first understand the Li Clan's situation."

"I only hope the Li Clan is not merely a crop the Green Pool Sect casually planted along its border."

Li Xiangping gave a bitter laugh, but then heard Li Yesheng ahead calling out together with several sweat-drenched village men.

"Immortal Master! Such a huge serpent!"

During this sensitive period, I cannot view chapter comments or comments, but I have carefully corrected all the typos everyone mentioned~ It is Li Yesheng, haha. They have all been fixed! It seems everyone cannot see my replies, so I am saying it here all at once~